Texas – World number two Rory McIlroy never considered entering the Texas Open the week before the Masters until caddie JP Fitzgerald suggested it.
McIlroy thought about it over lunch after his second round at the Houston Open on Friday and sent Fitzgerald a text message saying he thought it was a good idea.
“I ended up thinking to myself, ‘OK, let’s just do for these next couple of weeks what’s best for me,’” said McIlroy, No 2 in the world after Tiger Woods won at Bay Hill.
“What’s best for me right now is competitive golf and playing rounds.”
For Rory McIlroy, there are risks now that he’s added next week’s Texas Open to his schedule. The fact that he needs more competitive rounds prior to the Masters, though, will outweigh any drawbacks, writes Farrell Evans.
Last year, McIlroy missed two straight cuts and made a late commitment to play in the St Jude Classic the week before the US Open. He tied for seventh in Memphis, then missed the cut at The Olympic Club.
He seemed encouraged after shooting a 71 at Redstone on Saturday morning. But he’s only completed 11 competitive rounds this year and agreed with Fitzgerald that he would benefit from another tournament heading to Augusta.
“Everything feels good in my game,” he said. “It’s just about playing a bit more competitive golf and just getting a little sharper. I just feel a little rusty out there, at times.”
The Houston Open was McIlroy’s first event since Doral, so he wasn’t worried about wearing himself out before Masters week.
“The more golf you play, I guess, the more savvy you become,” McIlroy said. “I think it’s a good decision. I’m looking forward to getting a few more rounds under our belt going into Augusta.” – espn
